Samuel Karlin *47

Born in Poland, he was brought to Chicago when he was 2 months old. By age 10, he was working to help support his family. Awarded a scholarship, Karlin received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1944. In 1947, he earned a Ph.D. in math from Princeton, where he studied with the great John von Neumann. After Princeton, Karlin taught at the California Institute of Technology from 1948 to 1956, rising to full professor. He then joined Stanford.

Karlin had vowed to change his major line of research every seven years in order to remain fresh and to keep learning. In 1989, he was awarded the National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest scientific award. Karlin worked with more than 70 graduate students on their doctorates, regarded as a high number (especially since he was not known to be intellectually gentle).

Karlin was divorced from his first wife, Elsie, with whom he had three surviving children. He is also survived by his wife, Dorit.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.